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Santica
Santica is an island of the Malvadorian island chain and a nation, located in eastern Melania. The Santica Commonwealth is a member of the Greater Malvadorias Union. History The first known inhabitants of the Malvadorias were the Rishu people's around 1400BP. The island's are first documented by Cabotenisan explorer, Styrbjorn Erikkson and then Lendian explorer, Tandro Amarito. Neither Erikkson or Amarito stopped at the Malvadoria's, choosing instead to carry on west. When the news of the founding of the Mari'im Islands, in 482 BP by the Lendians, the King of Samuelonia, commissioned a fleet of ships, to explore the region. Admiral Henry D. Elsarina was chosen to lead the Samuelonian fleet of four ships and in 451 BP, the Samuelonian's made landfall on the island of Elsarina. The island was claimed on behalf of the Samuelonian crown and named after Admiral Elsarina. The Samuelonian fleet made two further stops on the island of Santica (Named after Captain Hugo J. Santica) and the island of Leorward, (Named after Captain Henry T. Leorward) before returning to Saint Samuel. The Samuelonian Crown commissioned a second voyage to the Greater Malvadoria's in 444 BP and once again, was led by Admiral Elsarina. The second voyage consisted of 14 ships, which carried 400 soldiers and 250 settlers. Lord James H. Winstanley, a retired Samuelonian Commander, was sent by the King with the instructions to establish a colony. Admiral Elsarina was instructed to return to the Malvadorias in 438 BP and this time was given a fleet of 37 ships, which contained 4236 settlers and livestock. Upon arrival in Winstanley, it was clear such a small settlement would not support such large numbers and the Samuelonian fleet was split in four and sent away to establish new settlements. The first fleet sailed to the west coast of Elsarina and established Saltwick. The second fleet founded Franchister on the east coast. The third fleet landed in Santica and founded Alderton, whilst the fourth fleet landed in Leorward, establishing the settlement of Humberton. The settlement of Alderton struggled in the first few years, after crop failures and aggressive local inhabitants forced many settlers to return to Elsarina. The three islands of the Malvadorias saw a boom period of trade and commerce around 100 BP. Deposits of Iron Ore, coal, gold and silver, along with prosperous farms and plantations, saw the islands become an integral territory of the Samuelonian Kingdom. The demand on the resources led to a huge shortfall in cheap labor and the islands farm owners industries began to look for cheap labor elsewhere, once the steady flow of convicts from Samuelonian prisons had become insufficient. The Afrazurean slavers were quick to fill the demand in cheap labor and began transporting huge numbers of young, fit and strong Afrazurean slaves from modern day Allacoa. Prior to the Great Plague, the combined population of the Greater Malvadorias stood at around 500,000, with around 350,000 of Afrazurean descent. The remaining 150,000 were Samuelonian or Longerathian. The Slave Revolts The post plague era in the Malvadorias saw the islands suffer. Hunger and illness was wide spead and more so among the Afrazurean slave population. In 46 AP the situation became so bad for the Afrazurean slave population, a number of slaves turned on there captors. These revolts were put down savagely by the Elsarinian Defence Force, which only led to further outbreaks of violence. In 49 BP, the capital city of Elsarina, Winstanley, was attacked by a mob of Afrazurean slaves and the city torched. The Elsarinian Defence Force was helpless against such large numbers and a request by Governor Luton E. Keswick was sent back to Saint Samuel, seeking troops to restore order. The arrival of soldiers from Saint Samuel the following year restored order, but Governor Keswick recognised the need for change. In 51 AP the Samuelonian Slave Act was enforced, whereby owners of slaves were required to pay there work force a fair salary and to provide at least one day of rest a week. The Governor's of Santica went one step further and abolished the slave trade and all slaves on Santica officially became employees, where there rights were somewhat better to what they had been. In 98 AP, King George IV of Saint Samuel, officially abolished the slave trade in Samuelonian territory. All slaves on the Malvadorias were forced by law to be set free and allowed to pursue whatever work they wished. However, the Afrazurean Samuelonian's were still seen as second class citizens and were not eligible to receive education, health care or even go to certain parts of cities. Further rioting in 108 AP by former Afrazurean slaves, led to creation of the Samuelonian Race Act, giving Afrazurean Samuelonians the right to vote, receive education and health care. The biggest turning point in Malvadorian history, was the election of Theo Wainwright in 144 AP, Elsarina's first black Governor, beginning a new chapter in the Malvadorias history. Malvadorian Independence The Malvadorias slowly gained increasing independence from Saint Samuel from 228 AP. In 235 AP the island of Elsarina changed from a Samuelonian Colony, to a Protectorate of Saint Samuel. Santica obtained Protectorate status in 247 AP and Leorward in 252 AP. In 300 AP, the three islands of the Greater Malvadorias held referendums in a vote to decide whether to petition for full independence from Saint Samuel. Elsarina voted 74% in favor of gaining full independence, Santica voted 64% in favor of gaining full independence, whilst Leorward voted 58% in favor of remaining a protectorate. A second referendum in 302 AP, saw all three islands vote to obtain full independence. Prime minister Edwin Larton of Elsarina traveled to Francisco in 305 AP to make proposals for the full independence of the Malvadorias. The following year, the government of Saint Samuel announced that the three islands of the Malvadorias would be granted full independence. On the 1st of January 310 AP, Prime Minister Vincenzo A. Della Morrez of Saint Samuel, officially granted full indepence, creating the Elsarina Commonwealth under Prime Minister Alton Underwood, the Santica Commonwealth under Prime Minister George Kirkdale and the Leorward Commonwealth under Prime Minister Melody Barrington. The following day the three Prime Ministers announced the formation of the Greater Malvadoria Union, an economic and political entity. Recent history In 310, Prime Minister George Kirkdale won his fourth term in office in an election many believed to be rigged. With unemployment, government corruption and poor living conditions at an all time low, civil disorder began to spread. The Santican Riots of 311 saw the government crack down on protests and the army were bought in to stop disorder, however after a number of incidents where protestors were shot and killed, the government received widespread condemnation. Category:Greater Malvadorias Union